| Not since the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
exploded out of Boston in the early nineties has the east-coast fusion of ska, punk and
metal sounded so brilliant. Catch 22 is surprisingly – well, maybe not
surprisingly as they’re the first ska band to be added to the Victory label –
good. Jeff Davidson’s well-timed, stylish vocal harmonies are a spot-on match
for the upbeat horn section. The New Jersey seven-piece weave their sound so
tightly, there’s not a dull moment on their newest album, Alone in a Crowd.
“It Takes Some Time” showcases Catch
22’s big band influences. “Guilty Pleasures” is the unexpected highlight of
the album; it starts out with punk rock guitar like The Specials, the horns are twisted,
interweaving, the vocals are fast-paced, racing with the background horns & guitar,
the harmonies build, and that’s just the first thirty seconds of the song. Even
“Bloomfield Ave.” the token slow, about-a-girl ballad tells a sensitive story
(for a hardcore punk band). And while it may seem like a backwards feat to tackle a
Beach Boys song, Catch 22 cover “Wreck of the Sloop John B” with such intensity
it nearly eclipses every other song on the album. But the entire experience is a
powerhouse of trumpet, trombone, sax and sophisticated, driving bass lines that establish
Catch 22 as a new threat to the pop-heavy punk music scene.
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